Not funny, it's barberous! Something must be seriously amish when such extra-follicular activities occur. Were any of the men who got clipped the victims of automatic weapons (electric clippers)? 'Cause I thought that wasn't allowed.

It's funny and it's not, of course. It's hilarious that the guy's name is Mullet. Can't get away from that one.

What he was doing wasn't funny. There was more to it than the hair cutting. Yes, that's humiliating for the people it happens to, but it's not as if they believe that God is going to see it as their own disobedience. It's a community humiliation, which is bad, too, but hair grows back.

It is an assault, of course, and Mullet and his followers are criminal, no doubt.

But what might get missed is that Mullet is mad because the rest of the church presumes to see itself in authority over him. I'm quite certain that there is nothing in Amish theology that suggests a leader gets to have sex with his followers as a religious action. This is text book cultism and it's the reason for organized religion.

We forget that when we fuss over the failings of organized religion, but the point of it is accountability and a brake on utter crack-pots like Mullet (or Phelps.)